Draft-gear.



UNITED STA'ILIS APATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. MOKEEN, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANLA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented B131-, 21, 1911 Application filed October 7, 1907.

Serial No. 396,13G.

To'aZZ whom it may concer-n,

l Be it known that I, THOMAS L. MCKEEN, a citlzen of the United States. residing at Easton. in the county of Xorthampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Gears. of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relatesto spring draft Gears for railway cars, and more partiellljarly to what are known as tandem gears. A'IAhese tandem' gears, as commonly constructed, lia-ve two 'coil springs orsets of coil springs arranged one in rear of the pther fwith reference to the line of draft, und 15.

means for transmitting the pull or thrust of the draw'hbar to both springs or sets of' springs. Such gears aboutl double the oapacityof a gear employing a single spring or Set of springs of .the same capacity. but; .they are necessarily approximately tvvlce as long as the single gear and yet do not -lengthen any the travel of the draiv bar,

whose movement is limited by the extent of collapse of one of the springs.

The primary object of the invention is to 1 produce a spring gear having the maximum capacity and permitting the maximum travel of tliedraw bar, but which. shall nevertheless occupygt-he minimum space longitudinally ofthe car, and be of exceedingly7 compact, sim leand strong construction. andcompose of the'mini'muni number of parts.

A Other Objects of the invention are to provide a spring draft gear Awhich occupies less Space longitudinally of the car than a tandem spring gear employing coil springs of the standard length and capacity. and which nevertheless has' greater capacity than suoli a tandem coil spring gear; also to so construct and arrange the parts that only three parts are required in the gear in 4addition to the springs; also to so construct and arrange the parts that in buing the pressure of the springs will be applied on the extreme sidesl of the follower opposite to the stops or abutments on the draft sills; also to construct the gear so that the spring resistance is light at the commencement of movement of' thedraw bar and'builds u or increases during the travel of the draw ar, thus producing -an easier andl smoother cushioning effect-.in drawingv and in buing; also 4toy improve the construction of spring d raft gears in the respects hereinafter descrlbed and set forth inthe claims.

nected in the manner hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings.: Figure. l is a sectional plan of a spring draft gear embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof inline 2 2,

Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, in line l3--3, Fig. 2. Fig. t

-is a sectional plan. similar to Fig. 1 of a modified construction.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several ligures. .Referring particularly to Figs. L3. A

represents the rear portion of a draw bar, land a the usual `volte or st-rapivlnch is se cured to and projects beyond the rear or inner end of the draw bar. B represents the car draftsills or beams and l) and b respectively the. front or outer and the rear or inner stops. lugs or 'abutments on the draft sills against which the front and rear followers of the draft gear bear in the draft and boiling action' of the gear. The invention does not relate to the draiv bar and draft sills .and these parts may be of the usual or any7 suitable construction. C, D and E represent respectively the front, rear and intermediate followers. The followers all extend transversely through the yoke, as usual, thefrontand rear followers bearing respectively against the front and rear stops on the draft *sills` The front. follower C may consist' of the usual rectangular plate with a spring-centerin stud c. The 'rear follower is preferably o? box or hollow form, as shown. having a rear end Wall d which bears against the rear stops b and an open front end. 'lfhe inner face of the end Wall (I is preferablyconvexed transverse-ly, as vshown in F ig.. 1, for a purpose tobe described. The intermediate follower E is of a shape and size adapting it to enter the open front end of the rear follower, and it is provided with an ed e flange or part e adapted to strike the ront end of the rear follower to limit the movements of the intermediate and rear Ifollowers Vrelative to .each other, and with a central stud or art e which projects toi'vaid an'd is adapte to be struck bythe stud c on the front follower., Wherebylthe movement of the one follower toward the other is.1imit ed, and the intermediate follower is posltively moved rearwardly by the front follower after an initial movement of the latter in builing. As shown, the intermediate follower con-- sists of a casting which is hollowed or cored out to lighten it. F f represent the outer and inner coils -of a double eol sprin arranged between the front and'intermeciate followers around the studs r: and e. This spring is preferably of'tlie standard size and capacity used in coil spring draft gears. A sing c or double coil spring can be used, as refer-red.` represents a set of bowed lea springsor spring" plates arranged face to face in the ho low rear follower between the rear end wall thereof and theirearfaee of the intermediate follower.. Theiset vof spring platesconstitutes in effect' a single leaf-spring consisting ofa plurality ofeoinp oiient leaves( The Vle-.if si'rings extend, transversely of the line of fra'ft and are preferably arranged horizontally on edge,

with the ends of the rearmost yor innermost spring bearing against the opposite sides of the rear end wall of the 'rearfolloweig and the convex face of the foremost outer most spring bearing centra-ll against.' the intermediate follower.v By this arrangement the leaf springs are straightened out-more orless'f when thcntermediate-follower i'noved .rearwardly or the rear follower is j moved foriiardly, and the pressure fdueto "the resistance of the springs is exerted at t-he sides of therear follower directly opp'osite-or inline with the stops or abutinents on the draft sills instead of centrally, and thereifi's no tendency to bend or distort thei rear lfollower,.-as is the case wherecentrally located coilsprings are used. On the other hand', 'the pressure of the` leaf springs is exerted centrally Aon the intermedatefol lower, but the pressure of the front coil springs F f is also applied nearthecenten of 'the intermediate follower andthere is littleor no bending strain'onthis follower either, The strains are" thusf transmitted fror'nf4 the draw bar,l which'j` bears centrally leaf springs to the extreme ends ofthe rear follower 'and thereV is little 'or no tendency to bend.4 or 'distort' any ofthe followers. The

parts are so proportioned. that the stud; of

' the yfront' follower willstrike' that of the =iii- ,-.termedi'ate'followe'r and-fthe flanges of thel 55 intermediate follower will s'trikefthefrontvl end of the rear-follower and so arrest- .the

'movement of boththe'frontfand intermz'e'date' followers, ortlie rear and intermediate "followers, depending iipon whether draft A or y x The action ofthe'idraft gearde'scribedis'as follows; In bil-lling,- the front follower Cisnient against the stops b the coil springsl 'the intermediate' follower stationary until the pressure exerted thereon is suflicient to more it against the opposin resistance of the leaf springs. The stud o the front. follower will strike that of the intermediate Vfollower before the coil springs can be i-li'iven solid or strained so as to become set,

and the intermediate follower will then be inove'd positively by-the front follower and the leaf springs strained-until the interino the draw bar at the start and the resistance 'diate follower is arrested by its flanges striking the end of the rear follower. .Thus' less resistance is offered to the movement. of

bui-lds up or increases as the movement concoil springs and thereafter, when the/inter-v mediate follower is arrested by its stud strik'- ing the front follower, the leaf springs .are compressed so that in drawing also the lesser resistance of thecoil springs is first met with and then the greater-resistance of th`e leaf springs and the car will start with less jerk 'than if vthe resistance of both sets of springs had to be overcome initially.

The coilsprings are 'of the usual standard size and capacity and permit the saine travel in this gear as in the vOrdinar i 'coil spring gear, and the'leaf springs ena' '1e a 4further movement vso .that by the combination of the coil andleaf springs a greater travel ofthe -draw bar is possible than with the coil ssp'ringsaloiie, whether arranged as 'inthe ordina-ry single, tandem or twin gears. Fiirthermore., the leaf springs occupyV less'room 'longitudiiiallyoft-lie car than a-secondset-of vcoil springs of standard .size end capacity arranged -1n rear of the .front springs F f,

siich coil springs-the .combined coil and :leaf

spring gear gives greater 4 aip.acity than a tandem coil spring gear` using tivo coil' springsof staiifdard size-and' capacity. ,-The convexed end wall of thefrearfollower serves as an additional safeguard a ainst the 'leaf bar, is 'preferred,git is: manifest that -fthefgear 111.5 `and yet, as they have greater capacity than 5 'Springs' being VSprung' jbey@ Al'fller v'elastic the aesribai man@ Manganelli., tof the, springs, 'that is, the location; -ef 4.th-'ev coil spring'sin front or nearer to the dra'w stead of the rear follower, could be made hollow to contain the leaf springs and telescope on the rear follower without altering the action of the gear. Likewise, leaf springs which are normally straightand require to be flexed or bowed in action could be utilized instead of the normally bowed springs shown.

Fig. Ll shows a different construction of gear-employing the tandem arrangement of the coil and leaf springs, the essential difference residing inthe fact that the coil springs F f', instead of bearing against the yintermediate follower, bear their rear ends against a plate H which rests against the rear follower, in effect forming a part thereof, and the intermediate follower'E passes through a hole in said plate to engage the leaf -springs G. By this construction no pressure is: placed upon the leaf springs until the studs of the front and intermediate followers strike and they are not brought into play at all until after an initial action of the coil spings, the action of the two sets of springs thus being purely successive, whereas in the former construction the resistance of the leaf springs is exerted. at all times on the intermediate followerl in oppositiofi to the coil springs, and the two sets of springs act more or less simultaneously` depending upon their relative strength.

In both of the constructions described, a. sunicient number of the leaf springs is provided to. give the desired maximum resistance, and the resistance can be readily lessened if desired, by removing one or more of the leaf springs. Lost motion in the gear can be prevented in such case by replacing tlie springs removed with suitable filling plates.

`I `claim as my invention: I l. The combination of a movable member, movable rigid followers, stops for said followers. coil and leaf springs arranged between said followers 011e in advance of the other with respect to the direction of movement of said member, said leaf spring extending transversely of the direction of movement of said member and having greater resisting capacity than said-,coil spring. connections for moving one of said followers when said member is moved in either direction, and means for applying pressure to said leaf spring independently' of said coil spring after an initial movement of the member, whereby both the coil and leaf springs resist movement of said member in either direction and said. leaf spring acts to resist the movement of said member after an initial actionof said coil spring, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a movable member,

movable rigid followers, one of which is moved lby the movement of said member 1n one direction, means by which the other foll l i g l i i l i l l lower is mived by the movement af' said spring is protected and said leaf spring acts to'resist the movement of said member after an initial action of said coil spring, substaiitially as set forth.

3. The combination of a movable member, movable rigid end followers, one of which is moved by the movement of said member in one direction, means by which the other follower is moved by the movement of said member in the opposite direction, stops for said followers, coil and. leaf springs arranged oiie in advance ofthe other between said followers, said leaf spring extending transversely of the direction of movement of said member, a mo 'able intermediate follower which is arranged between said coil and leaf springs and against which said springs exert pressure in opposite directions, and means for limiting the relative movement betweenv said intermediate follower and the end follower which is adjacent to said coil spring to limit the compression of saidcoil spring and apply pressure to said leaf spring independently of said coil spring after an initial action of the coil spring, substantially as set forth;

4. The vcombination of a movable member,

moved b v the movement of said member in one direction, meaiisby which the other follower is' moved by the movement of said member in the opposite direction, stops for said followers, coil and leaf springs arranged one in advance of the other between said followers, said leaf spring extending transversely of the direction of movement of s said member. a movable intermediate follower which is arranged between lsaid coil and leaf springs and against which said springs exert pressure in opposite directions, and means for limiting the relative movement between said intermediate follower and each end follower'. to protect both the coil and leaf springs and apply pressure to said leaf spring independently of said coil spring" after an initial action of the coil spring, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a movable member. movable rigid end followers, one of which is moved by the movement of said member in one direction, means by which the other follmovable rigid end followers, one of which is i -lower is moved by the movement of said 'ranged one in adva'nce of the other between transversely of the direction of movement of l sa- 1d member and lia-*ving a greater-resisting sure iii opposite directions, said intermediate follower being adapted to; strike said hollow follower tov limit the compresslon of said .35

4 set-forth.

. loweris4 moved by the movement of' said fmemberpin the -opposite direction, stops for diate olloyver, an y `-be'arinvr againstthe middle portion' of said ralged one in advance of the other between sai followers, said 'leaf spring extending .-rangedg'between said'intermediate follower and the other vend-follower transversely ofc member `in the opposite direction, stops .for said followers, coil and leaf springs arsaid followers.- saidleaf spring extending capacity than said coil spring, an intermediate follower which is 4arranged between said coil and leaf springs and against which said springs exert pressure in oppositevdirections and which is movable to allow the bodily movement/oi said coil spring during the movement of said memberin one directionV after an initial compressionof said coil spring, snbst-antially'as set forth.

i' 6. The combination of a movable member, movable rigid end followers, one of which is moved .by the movement of said member in one direction, means by which the other follower Vis moved by themovement of" said member inthe opposite direction, stops for said `followe1's coil and leafv springs 'artransversely of the direction of movement of said member, one of said followers being hollow and containing said ',leat' spring, a movable intermediatel follower which is arrang betweelrsaid coil and leaf springsy and gai'nst which said springs exrt 'p'res.

leaf spring, and meansvfor limitingr the compression of said coil spring, substantially as 7. The. combination of a movablev member, movable rigidvend followers, one of which is moved by .the movement of sa'idmember in one direction, means by which the other fol Vsaid'endy followers, an intermediate follower, a coil s ring arran ed between said intentiey one end follower and end'folo'wer, and a leaf spring which is ar- I one direction, means by which the other fol-` lower is moved by the` movement of said drawbar in the opposite direction, stops fory said end followers, an intermediate follower. v

a coil spring which is arranged betweensaid intermediate i follower and the lirst men', tioned endv follower and bears against thc' central portlo'ns of said-end follower and the direction of vmovement of said member 5 Cgi said-intermediate follower, and a leaf spring l i which isarranged ybetween said intermediate follower and the other end followertrans-` versely of the direction of movement of said di'a'wbar and bears centrally against said intermediate follower `and at. itsv ends against Said other end follower, snbstantiallyas set 9. The cor'nbi'nationv of a movable member,

.a movable rigid follower which is moved by the movement of said membcrin one direction, coil and leaf springs which are ar-.,v

ranged one in advance of theother .and

lwhich resist movement of said member, said leaf spring extending transversely of the direction of movement of said member and having greater resisting capacity than said coil spring, means for applying pressure to said leaf spring independently of said coil spring after an initial mo\.ementv of said member and for limiting the compression of said coil spring, whereby said leaf spring is eifective after said coil spring has been compressed-to a desired maximum, a rigid device against which said leaf. spring bears, and means for limiting the compression of said leaf spring, 'substantially as set forth.-

'lVitnessiny hand, this 2d day ofOctober," 1907. A

I .THOMAS L. inclinan.V

witnesses: "CHAs "QPARKEB,A C."B. H0RNBE01;. 

